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Credit Card Fraud
Infidel
HereticRegistered User regular
HereticRegistered User regular
So I found a few bizarre transactions on my bill. A couple small transactions for I don't know what at $5 and $10 exactly, and then one for $282.11 with the description GREEN SMOKE. From the looks of things it's likely actually this company.
Contacted my credit company and dispute filed, they're sending me some paperwork. This occurred over two days at the end of the month, and there haven't been any other odd transactions.
I really hate how I have barely fuck all about these transactions. Is there anything I can do to maybe be able to sort these out? Or do I just dispute and get a new credit card issued. :P If it's somehow someone I know, that would be nice to find out.
The $5 transaction was reversed seemingly a few days later, before I ever noticed this.
If my card number was somehow stolen via online transactions, I'm really confused as to when that could have happened. I'm honestly more worried about finding out what happened than my card being at risk, just replacing shit doesn't seem satisfactory.
Contacted my credit company and dispute filed, they're sending me some paperwork. This occurred over two days at the end of the month, and there haven't been any other odd transactions.
I really hate how I have barely fuck all about these transactions. Is there anything I can do to maybe be able to sort these out? Or do I just dispute and get a new credit card issued. :P If it's somehow someone I know, that would be nice to find out.
The $5 transaction was reversed seemingly a few days later, before I ever noticed this.
If my card number was somehow stolen via online transactions, I'm really confused as to when that could have happened. I'm honestly more worried about finding out what happened than my card being at risk, just replacing shit doesn't seem satisfactory.
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So your CC may not have been compromised. Still should get a new card, though.
I doubt this is what's happened here... if it were, he'd have gotten the product from them, and that looks like a legit web site to me. (Honestly, I'm considering whether to point my father-in-law at the product, I'll bet he'd save a bundle...)
That being said, there are about a zillion ways for someone to get your credit card info, so I don't know that you'll ever figure out exactly what happened.
You could contact customer service at GreenSmoke and either (a) tell them the truth or (b) try to fake them out by saying you never received your order and asking them to read back the delivery address to you in case you typed it in wrong or something. However, your credit card company has already flagged the purchase for investigation, and they'll be getting the delivery address from them. Any call the merchant gets regarding this purchase is going to be flagged pretty strongly.
If they can find the person, the credit card company will be pursuing the legal angle. Your best bet is probably to stay on good terms with their investigation team and see if you can get them to relay any info they find out.
Little off-topic here, but FYI: http://www.njoythefreedom.com/ I've actually used these electronic smokes and they're good. They're actually pretty good at helping people quit as well.
On-topic - As long as your credit-card company is after them, leave them to it. Get a new card as well. My Dad had a similar thing happen with some douche buying WoW timecards with his credit card. He figured either someone copied it at a restaurant or a hotel he'd been to (he drives trucks all over) so it could have been anywhere.
Also, regardless of whether you get a new card or not, if you don't have a document shredder, buy one. It's invaluable for making sure any paper trash you get (even the ones going to you or current resident) get mangled such that anyone rifling through the trash can't get any info.
Definitely get a shredder. My shredder helps me sleep better at night. I run anything that has any information on it that can even be remotely tied to me, including envelopes.
Also, disputing a credit card charge usually isn't that big of a deal. I had my card info stolen once and two rather large charges at out of state gas stations show up. The card company actually called me to ask about that. Basically, they immediately canceled the card and sent a new one. The paper work you fill out is really just confirming your basic info that they've already got and listing the charges you're disputing. After that, just send it back. If you don't have a history of disputing a ton of charges, there shouldn't be a problem. Send the paperwork back in a timely fashion and it's the company's problem to deal with. They'll handle everything from there.
You can get a shredder, dragon, or sky lazer and it takes 1 waiter with photograph memory to steal your number and fuck with your credit. I knew a guy that worked at Applebees that would take your card, ask for your driver licence to "conform the name on the card", then go in the back and write your address and card info down. He buy small stuff, send it to his cousin's old house and laughed as he got away with it. 2 years and $15,000 dollars later, he got busted and is now going on trial this March.
Let's expand on this. Anywhere you ever use your credit card you are at risk of theft. Anywhere. And it is only getting worse as time goes on. I have 1 credit card only for online use and have it set up to verify all purchases. I have 1 credit card for in person use and use it only in emergencies when I run out of cash. I spend cash on everything, and I only use ATM's from my bank at the bank office itself. And never use a debit card for a purchase. Your bank will not fight to get your money back and certainly won't give it back either.
Sorry for the rant, but I see this every single day. Most of the time if you have any type of credit theft you won't be out the cash, but you sure are out all the time and hassle of fighting for it.
I don't think there is any kind of defense for a social engineering attack on your credit identity other than to just be distrustful of everyone - and that has benefits and drawbacks.
The moral here is to treat a credit card like you treat a wallet full of money - let people hold it, but don't let them walk out of your sight with it.
Pretty much impossible at the vast majority of sit-down restaurants in the US, where servers do not have those nifty portable card readers that you see throughout Europe so often.
It usually involves a few phone calls, and mailing and signing a few documents, I've been through much worse legal BS.
I make sure I check my bill monthly, I shred everything with any personal info on it, and I do my best to keep an eye on my card. Cards can be skimmed so incredibly easily, I know I can't prevent it 100% of the time. In the end, I pay the credit card company fees to deal with this type of situation. It's part of their job.
I usually borrow the shredder at work when tossing mail.
Man I don't let my card out of my site. If I'm at a place like that, I'll take the bill and my card to their CC terminal on the way out of the restaurant.
[edit] Also any documents with my name on them that I need to dispose of gets incinerated in my parent's wood furnace or in one of their bi-monthly bonfires during the summer (makes excellent kindling). I recommend an enclosed fire pit if you plan on doing that, especially on a breezy day.
You are not liable under any American or Canadian law that I am familiar with (and I am NOT a lawyer though I am pretty familiar with the subject) for fraudulent purchases. I would work with your CC company to the best of your ability, but don't be afraid to involve a lawyer if you find yourself in a tight corner and the advice you get indicates that you could sue for costs on top of losses.
In most cases though, the banks and CC companies are all too happy to refund fraudulent claims under the table so that they can fess up to fewer fraudulent claims and hide the degree to which their systems are inherently vulnerable.
CUZ THERE'S SOMETHING IN THE MIDDLE AND IT'S GIVING ME A RASH